Flying toy



(No Model.) Y C. M. HOLLINGSWORTH.

PLYING'TOY.

No. 510,137. v Patented Dee. 5,1893.

l rmmnmuumumiiL "Hillllllllllhllfn NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE. 2

CHARLES M. HOLLINGSWORTH, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

FLYING TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 510,137, datedDecember 5, 1893.

Application filed July 1.1892. Serial No. 438,679. (No model.) y

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HOLLINGs- WORTH, of Evanston, inthecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Flyin gToys and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel article in the nature of a iiying toyand it consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed out inthe appended claims.

An article embodying my invention embraces two parts, to-wit, a diskhaving spiral blades like those of a screw propeller, and adapted to usein the air and spin in contact with the ceiling of a room or a likehorizontal surface, and an actuating device for temporary engagementwith the disk and constructed to give rapid rotary motion to the same;as will be hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating myinvention: Figure l is aperspective view of the ying wheel or disk and the actuating devicetherefor. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section of the disk. Fig.3 is a View in central vertical section of the actuating device. Fig. 4is a plan or face view of a form of the wheel differing somewhat fromthat shown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the Wheelshown in Fig. 4, taken on line 5-5 of said Fig. 4.

As shown in the said drawings, A, indicates asa Whole the movable orflying disk or wheel, the same consisting of a plurality of radialobliquely arranged blades A2, A2, connected with each other at thecenter of the disk or Wheel and secured at their outer margins to acylindri'c band or ring A surrounding said blades A2, A2, and ofconsiderable width ,in a

direction perpendicular to the plane of the disk or wheel. At its centerthe disk or wheel is provided with means for engagement with anactuating device for giving rotary motion to the disk, herein shown asconsisting of apertures, a d, a, formed in a central disk, A3, to whichthe several fans A2 A2 A2 are connected at their inner ends. The wheelor disk is also provided with a central bearing point, a', extendingupwardly from the center of the disk to a point slightly above the topmargin of the band or rim A in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. TheWheel or disk made as described may be constructed in any suitablemanner of `any suitable material, such as sheet metal, Wood or paper;that shown in the drawings being made of paper and the several bladescut from a single piece or sheet of paper and secured at their outermargins to the rim which is formed of paper, straw-board or the like inone or more layers. The central portion A3 in Which the holes a areformed is shown as being strengthened by a reinforcing piece or layer,0,2. 'y

B indicates as a whole the actuating or sending device. This consists ofa handle or pedestal, B', and a drum or spool B2, pivotally connectedwith the same and provided with a plurality of teeth or prongs, b, b, b,adapted for engagement with the holes a a a of the Wheel or disk A.Attached to the drum B2 is a cord, C, which is adapted to be Wound uponthe drum B2 and to give rapid rotary motion on being forcibly unwoundtherefrom in a familiar manner. The points or prongs bb are secured inthe end of the drum B2 on the fiat end vthereof remote from the handleof the standard B and concentrically with the axis of rotation of thedrum.

In the use`of the sending device the same is held with the drumuppermost and the wheel or disk allowed to rest upon the flat end of thedrum with the holes a a engaged with the points or prongs b b. The drumis then rapidly rotated by the use of the cord O and a rapid rotarymotion thereby given to the Wheel or disk which by reason of theinclination of its blades becomes disengaged from the pins or points andrises and ioats in the air. To insure engagement of the points or prongsb b with the disk or Wheel said points or prongs may be made hollow orcon'- cave on their sides b b', which are advanced as the drum isrotated the hooked ends of the points or prongs formed by so making theadvance faces concave serving to prevent the disk or wheel fromprematurely rising orslipping from the prongs. To facilitate thedisengagement of the wheel from the said prongs at the proper time, therear surfaces, b2, of said prongs are inclined or beveled, as shown,

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so that when 'the wheel or disk has acquired a sutliciently rapid rotarymotion and the drum ceases to revolve the tendency7 of the disk to riseclear of the prongs will be aided by the said inclined surfaces thereof.To further insure the prompt release of the disk, from the prongs of thesending device the cord C instead of being disconnected from the drum issecured thereto in such manner that when the full length of the stringhas been drawn olic the drum the string itself will suddenly arrest themovement of the drum and prevent its further rotation; it being obviousthat when the drum is thus suddenly stopped the rear margins of theholes a acting on the inclined rear surfaces of the prongs will lift thedisk and thus not only insure its complete disengagement from the prongsbut give it an initial upward movement.

As a convenient means of attaching the cord to the drum the latter inthe construction shown is provided in one of its larger parts with agroove, h3, u ithin which the cord is placed and tied at one side of thedrum. Said drum B2s shown as formed with upper and lower enlarged partsconnected bya central smaller spindle on which the cord C is wound forgiving rotary motion to the drum and the pivotal connection between thedrum and handle or standard B is conveniently formed b y means of ascrew, D, inserted end wise through the drum and into the upper end ofthe handle or standard, the head of the screw serving to prevent thedrum from being disengaged therefrom and to hold the drum in engagementwith the smooth part ot' the screw on which it rotates.

As a simple and desirable construction the prongs b h are made integralwith a circular metal plate or disk, B3, secured to the outer end of thedrum by means of points or'prongs, b4, b4, which are driven into the endof the drum, said plate being arranged concentrically with reference tothe screw D and being provided with a central aperture through whichsaid screw passes and which engages the head of the screw. Said plate B3thereby not only forms a convenient means of attaching the prongs h h tothe drum,but also constitutes a bearing surface or bushing forengagement with the screw D. The plate B3 may be easily cast with theprongs b and the points b4 thereon so that these parts may be made atsmall expense. To facilitate the construction of the parts the saidplate B3 is seated in a circular recess, b5, formed in the end of thedrum when the same is made. This recess not only insures a strongerconnection between the plate B3 and the drum and aords a large flatbearing surface at the end of the drum on which the disk may rest, butit facilitates assembling of the parts by insuring the central locationof the said plate at the time it is applied to the end of the drum.

The handle or standard B is shown as made of considerable length and ofcylindric form so that it may be easily held in one hand when the cord Cis grasped and operated by the other hand and as provided by its lowerend with an enlarged part or base, B4, adapted to rest upon a table orother horizontal surface so as to sustain the sender in an upright orvertical position. The construction of the sender with a broad base inthis manner is especially desirable from the fact that it is oftendesired to maintain the axis of the drum in an exactly vertical positionat the time of spinning or sending the wheel or disk and the presence ofthe base enables the standard to be held by the hand firmly against ahori zontal surface such as the top of a table at the time of drawingthe cord from the drum for the purpose of rotating thesame and sendingthe wheel or disk.

The action of the wheel or disk made as de. scribed is as follows: Uponbeing given rapid rotary motion through the medium of the sendingdevice, the wheel will rise rapidlyin the air, until the point of thecentral spindle or projection d', already described strikes the ceilingof the room or apartment, in which the device is used, and will thencontinue to rotate and spin against the ceiling. It' no ceiling ispresent, the wheel will descend in proximity to the floor where it willcontinue to revolve without however coming in contact with the same,until it has lost its speed. This capacity of the wheel for sustainingitself in the air but a short distance above the floor or any otherhorizontal surface over which it is rotated, is due to the absence ofany projection extending below the rim A and to the presence of the saidrim A which by preventing the outward escape of air maintains a cushionof compressed air beneath the wheel and thus prevents its contact withthe iioor during the time it is in rapid rotation. In practice a wheelor disk made generally as shown in the drawings will it' made of properweight and having its blades arranged at a suitable inclination float ormaintain itself a short distance above the floor or other horizontalsurface while moving sidewise or laterally in an irregular manner for aconsiderable period of time. It has been observed that the presence ofthe rim A has an opposite but similar effect on the action of the wheelwhen the same is spinning in contact with the ceiling the action of theblades in such case being to maintain a partial vacuum above the wheelby propelling the air downward, and the presence of such partial vacuumbeing secured by the presence of the band or rim A', and the shortnessof the bearing point a', which prevents the inflow of air except at thenarrow space between the upper edge of the rim and the ceiling above thesame. In other words, the inclined blades acting to exhaust the air fromthe space above the wheel more rapidly than the air can enter said spacethrough the narrow passage at the upper edge of the rim, a partialvacuum is formed which tends to maintain the wheel in its elevatedposition or in contact with the ceiling. It follows, therefore, that adisk or wheelthus con,

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structed with a wide or vertically deep rim will maintain itself againstthe ceiling a very long time when spinning.

The blades of the wheel during the rotation of the same tend in allcases to produce a vacuum above the wheel and condensation of air belowthe same so that when the wheel is spinning near the floor the airforced downward being confined within the space between theblades andthe door and being held from free escape from such space by the presenceof the rim, will be maintained under pressure sufficient to sustain theweight of the wheel. The wheel constructed as described is not onlyamusing as a toy but interesting as a scientific curiosity.

It is essential -to the operation of the wheel or disk as a toy to bespun in contact with the ceiling that the bearing point a should projectabove the upper edge of the rim only so far as to prevent contact of therim with the ceiling in spinning, so that little space will be affordedbetween the edge of the rim and the ceiling for access of air, it beingobvious that the smaller the passage for air at this point the greaterwill be the Vacuum produced and the sustaining force arising therefrom.In practice, however, a somewhat liberal space is provided, as shown inthe drawings, to prevent contact of the rim with vthe ceiling in casethe disk is thrown in a slightly inclined position, or when the ceilingis not perfectly smooth.

I claim as my inventionl. The improved flying top consisting of aplurality of oblique radial blades and a cylindrical rim surroundingsaid blades and attached to the outer ends thereof, the planes of theedges of said cylindrical rim being perpendicular to the axis of the topand the radial blades lying wholly between said planes,

and a spinning point extending above the rim a distance sufficient onlyto prevent contact of the rim with a ceiling or similar horizontalsurface against which the point may rest, whereby air is prevented fromfreely flowing into the space above the blades and a partial vacuum isthere produced, substantially as described.

2. An improved iying top consisting of a pluralityof oblique radialblades, a cylindrical rim surrounding said blades and attached t theouter ends thereof, the planes of the edges of said cylindrical rimbeing perpendicular to the axis of the'top and the radial blades lyingwholly between said planes, said top being without any part extendingbelow the lower edge of said rim, whereby air is compressed beneath thetop, substantially as described.

3.' An improved iiying top consisting of a plurality of oblique radialblades, a cylindrical rim surrounding said blades and attached to theouter ends thereof, the planes of the edges of said cylindrical rimbeing perpendicular to the axis of the top and the radial blades lyingwholly between said planes, a spinning point extending axially from thecenters of said blades and projecting a distance sufficient only toprevent contact of the rim with a ceiling or similar horizontal surfaceagainst which the point may rest, said top being without any partextending below the lower edge of said rim, whereby air is compressedbeneath the top, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES lli. HOLLINGSWORTH.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, G. W. HIGGINS, Jr.

